Recently, the Executive Yuan in Taiwan has passed a bill in favor of Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) fourth stage expansion. The construction plan has drawn the attention of ecologists and caused heated discussion in the Taiwan blogosphere.
Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) fourth stage expansion project is located in Erlin,Changhua. However, the area is also known as “The Bread Basket of Taiwan”, which is famous for its quality rice. Nearby, Jhuoshuei River supports the two biggest vegetables and fruit markets, Siluo and Sihu Markets. The haphazard design of water treatment system in Central Taiwan Science Park will very likely ruin the aquaculture along Changhua and Yulin County coastline which generates billions of NT dollars annually. The industrial water will also contaminate farmland and waters that nourish Taiwan tilapia fish and Wanggong oysters.
Citizens from the affected areas visited Taipei five times to explain their situation to the authorities. But the Advisory Council on the Environment Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee decided to put aside the disputes and approve the Central Taiwan Science Park fouth stage expansion project with some conditions.
As the driving force behind the expansion of of CTSP is the myth of I.T industry, blogger Munch points out that the industry will not save Taiwan's economy, on the other hand the current mode of production will result in a crisis:
The problem concerning CTSP is more than whether to approve the construction or not. That won't solve the problem. The so-called high technology industry in Taiwan is now playing the role of sub-contractor for the international production chain. When they fail to sell their original designs, they can only produce for others. Now that high tech products’ profit rate is getting low, they can only rely on expansion. They have to build more Science Parks in order to increase their production capacity. However, when they fail to make profit by increasing their productivity through expansion, they will shut down their plants and reinvest their money elsewhere, leaving a ruined land behind.
In order to campaign against the CTSP expansion, a group of young people set up awebsite and launched a photo signature action.
However, in response to the call for a peaceful march against the CTSP 4th project a farmer, Oulisan(歐力上), which means “an old guy” in Japanese and Taiwanese, asked if the young organizers were ready to practice an alternative way of life:
I’m a farmer in Chunghwa. I’m forty something and therefore understand why every parents want their children to focus on their studies. They hope their children to be more competitive in the job market and find their way to high tech companies – to have a stable job and a happy life ever after. Nobody wants their kids to come back home and become a farmer because farming demands hard work and has little income. This is parents’ rationality.
Yes, the farmers are not happy. When you young people launch the campaign to support agriculture, have you ever thought about your own choice in the future? will you choose to work in a farm or prefer to have a stable job? I fully support your love and care for our land. But, if you oppose industrial development due to ecological reasons, while at the same time, you don’t want to become a farmer. The land in Taiwan will be empty without agriculture and without industry. As the future key actors of the Taiwan society, how will you position yourself?
This is indeed a critical question for the young activists. In fact some young people have decided to choose farming as a way of life in the past few years. Meanwhile, ecological groups has filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the construction may lead to the lowering of the underground water levels and ground sinking. GVers in Taiwan will also continue to keep a close eye on these issues.